p
at Capua, crowded with beauty, wine and games, and the soldiers became
enervated. Their fiber was weakened and their bodies softened. They
were quicker to heed the call to a banquet than the call to arms."

"Unless it was the arms of beauty, Leonidas."

"Well spoken, Hector. The correction is most important, and I accept it.
But to take up again the main thread of my discourse. General Lee
undoubtedly had the example of the Carthaginian army and Capua in mind
when he left Gettysburg and returned toward the South. Philadelphia is a
great city, far larger and richer than any in our section. It is filled
with magnificent houses, beautiful women, luxury of every description,
ease and softness. Our brave lads, crowned with mighty exploits and
arriving there as conquerors, would have been received with immense
admiration, although we are official enemies. And the head of youth is
easily turned. The Army of Northern Virginia, emerging from Philadelphia,
to achieve the conquest of New York and Boston would not be the army that
it is to-day. It would lack some of that fire and dash, some of the
extraordinary courage and tenacity which have enabled it to surpass the
deeds of the veterans of Hannibal and Napoleon."

"But, sir, I've heard that the people of Philadelphia are mostly Quakers,
very sober in dress and manner."

"Harry, my lad, when you've lived as long as I have you will know that a
merry heart may beat beneath a plain brown dress, and that an ugly hood
cannot wholly hide a sweet and saucy face. The girls--God bless 'em--
have been the same in all lands since the world began, and will continue
so to the end. While this war is on you boys cannot go a-courting,
either in the North or South. Am I not right, Hector, old friend?"

"Right, as always, Leonidas. I perceive, though, that the sun is about
to set; not a new thing, I admit, but we must not delay our young friends,
when the general perhaps needs them."

"Well spoken again, Hector. You are an unfailing fount of wisdom.
Good night, my brave lads. Not many of the Invincibles are left, but
every one of them is a true friend of you both."

As they rode across the darkening fields Harry and Dalton knew that the
colonel spoke the truth about the Invincibles.

"I like a faith such as theirs," said Dalton.

"Yes, it can often turn defeat into real victory."

They quickly found the general's headquarters, and as usual, whenever the
weather permitt